Hand-brake.



l. F. OCONNOR.

HAND BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1917..

Patented July 30, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

BY WJ W17 A TTORNEY thereto a link 23. The link 23 is in turn pivotally connected to one arm 24 of a bell crank-which is pivoted to abracket 25 secured to the end sill 10. The other arm 26 of the bell crank has pivotally connected thereto a link 27, the opposite end of the link 27 being pivot-ally attached to a swinging fulcrum lever 28. The fulcrum lever 28 has an anti-friction roller 29 secured thereto which forms the true f ulcrum for the hand brake lower 30. Said fulcrum memberl 28 is pivotally connected to a cylinder casting 31, as indicated at 32 and the casting 31 is in turn suitably supported by a bracket 33 secured to the channel 13.

As Will be a parent, by rotating the hand Wheel 14, t e fulcrum roller 29 will be shifted back and forth, thelimits of the movement being indicated by the full lines and dotted lines in Fig. 1, to thereby shift the fulcrum for the hand brake lever 30, for the purpose hereinafter described. The hand brake lever has pivotally attached thereto an adjustable connecting link 133, the opposite end of said link 133 being pivotally attached to the cylinder lever 34 in a well known manner. The cylinder lever 34 is adjustably pivoted to an arm 35 as customary and its free end is slidably connected with the piston 36 of the air cylinder 37 of the brake rigging. The cylinder lever 34 has connected thereto the usual pull-rod 38 that operates the brake beam and shoes, as will be understood.

Mounted Within the cylinder 31 is a spring 39 of any predetermined, relatively high capacity. Seated against the outer end of the spring 39 is a piston40 from which extends a piston rod 41 outside of the casing and which is in turn pivotally connected to the hand brake lever 30, as indicated at 42. In the normal position of the parts, the spring 39 is maintained under its maximum compression so that it is at all times adapted to exert pressure against the hand brake lever when desired.

In the normal position of the parts, the fulcrum proper 29 is alined with the piston rod'41 so that the hand brake lever remains stationary or inactive. When the hand brake wheel =14 is oscillated, say to the second notch, it '-is'apparent that the fulcrum proper 29 will be shifted out of alinement .with the piston rod 41- and toward the outside of the car. This permits the spring 39 to expand and to swing the lever 30 about thefulcrum 29. It is obvious, that the effective force applied to the connecting link 133from the lever 30 will depend upon the 4ratio of `the lever arms of the lever 30. In other words, when the fulcrum 29 is shifted only a short distance, the ratio of lever arms is high and, due to the fact that the lever is o erated as one of the third class, the ef- `fect1ve force of the spring on the link 133 will be considerably reduced. If the hand wheel 14 is stopped at the secon'd notch, it is apparent that the force exerted by the spring 39 Will always be the same on the link 133 and consequently on the brakes themselves. If now, the Wheel 14 is shifted to the third notch, it is apparent that the raftio of the lever arms of the lever 30 is decreased so that the effective force of the spring is correspondingly increased. Similarly, when the Wheel 14 is shifted to the fourth notch, that is, to the dotted position, the ratio of the lever arms will be still further decreased and consequently the eective force of the spring 39 similarly augmented. It is evident, that by properly locating the positions of the notches on the indicator plate 18 and determining the diiferent ratios of lever arms of the lever 30, the braking force applied can be adjusted to predetermined amounts. In this manner, the brakemen have only to shift the hand wheels 14 to the proper notch in accordance with the signals given them and all brakes will be applied uniformly throughout a train, thus eliminating the personal equation which has heretofore been necessary to be taken into account.

On the beam 12, a bracket 43 is attached which limits the movements of the lever 30, as will be apparent At the rear of the cylinder 31, is mounted an adjustable follower 4-4, the adjustment being effected by an adjusting bolt 45 so that the spring compression can be regulated as desired. The air cylinder piston 3G is slotted, as indicated at 46 in the usual manner so as to permit movement of the cylinder lever 34 independcnt of the actuation of the air cylinder.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred embodiment of my invention but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto. It is also 0bvious that the improvements are capable of application to many structures and, except so far as limited by the claims, I do not wish to be restricted to the use of the improvements to a car brake rigging.

I claim:

1. In a brake rigging, the combination with the cylinder lever, of an auxiliary lever, a connection between said levers, and manually controlled means for exerting different and predetermined forces on said auxiliary lever to thereby correspondingly actuate the brakes.

2. In a brake rigging, the combination with the cylinder lever, of an auxiliary lever, a connection between said levers, and manually controlled means for exerting different and predetermined forces on said auxiliary lever to thereby correspondingly actuate the brakes, said means includin a source of stored energy and an adjusta le element for varying the lever arm ratios of said auxiliary lever. v

3. In a brake rigging having power controlled brakes, the combination therewith of auxiliary, manually controlled, adjustable means for applying variable predetermined braking forces.

4. In a brake rigging, the combination with a cylinder lever and hand brake lever, of means for actuating said hand brake lever, and means for varying the lever arm ratios of said hand brake lever.

5. In a brake rigging, the combination with a cylinder lever and a hand brake lever, of an adjustable fulcrum for the hand brake lever whereby the braking forces applied through the hand brake lever can be varied, a connection betweenthe hand brake lever and the cylinder lever, and means ermittin the cylinder lever to move in ependent of the hand brake lever and said connectlon when the cylinder lever is actuated from the cylinder..

6. In a brake rigging, the combination with the cylinder lever and the hand brake lever, of an adjustable fulcrum for the hand brake lever whereb the brakin forces a pliedthrough the and brake ever can e varied, and manually bperable means for shiftingsaid fulcrum.4

7. In a brake rigging, the combination with the cylinder lever, of a source of stored energy, means interposed between said source and the cylinder lever for thereby ac, tuating the latter, andmanuall ladjustable means for varying the effective orce of said energy while actuating said cylinder lever.

8. mechanism of the character described, the combination with a lever, of means for actuating the lever, and manually adjustable means for varying the lever arm ratios of said lever when actuated by said actuat means. y

9. In mec anism of the character described, the combination with a lever, of means for actuating said lever, and a manually adjustable fulcrum for said lever to therebyvary the ratio of the lever arms when the lever is actuated by said means.

10. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a lever, of a spring normally under compression and adapted to actuate said lever, of an adjustable fulcrum for said lever to thereby vary the effective force of said spring thereon.

11. In a brake rigging, the combination with a cylinder lever, a hand brake lever, and connections between said levers, of a spring adapted to exert pressure on the hand brake lever, and a manually adjustable fulcrum for the hand brake lever.

12. In a brake rigging, the combination with a cylinder lever, a hand'brake lever and connections between said levers, of a brake staff havin means by which it may be operated, a spring adapted to exert pressure onthe hand brake lever, and means connected to said brake staff for shifting the fulcrum of the hand brake lever.

13.-In a brake rigging, the combination with a hand brake lever having means extending therefrom for actuating the brakes, of a4 brake staff, a spring arran d to exert pressure on said lever, a pivota ly mounted fulcrum for said lever, and means interposed between said brake stall and fulcrum member for shifting the position of the latter.

14. In a brake rigging, the combination with a hand brake lever, of a spring arranged to exert pressure on said lever, a

movably mounted fulcrum for said lever, a

brake staff, connections extending between said brake staff and fulcrum member for shifting the position of the latter upon movement of the brake stall, means for turning the brake staff, and means for indicatirg predetermined positions of said brake sta In witness that I claim the fore oin .I have hereunto subscribed my name t 's 2 th day of March, 1917.

JOHN F. ocoNNoR. 

